Tutorial: enable authentication for HTTP requests

The HTTP plugin provides different authentication methods for the defined data points. Although, in some APIs the client request needs to provide authentication information, otherwise the server responds to a client with a 401 (Unauthorized) response.

HTTP Basic/Digest Authentication 

HTTP basic authentication is the traditional way to authenticate to an HTTP using username and password. To configure HTTP basic authentication, just add your username and password to appropriate columns within the HTTP data point definitions.

The HTTP plugin will authenticate to the given HTTP server and retrieve the HTTP basic access token and sends it in HTTP request that is used to retrieve the HTTP content.

Older HTTP server may use HTTP digest authentication instead of HTTP basic authentication. To use digest authentication, you have to set the authentication method within the data point definitions:

Adding the basic authentication token directly to the HTTP header

If you already have the basic authentication token (instead of username and password), it can be added to the HTTP header directly. To do so, set the "Additional HTTP Headers" column to the following:

Authorization: Basic <your HTTP token>

For example:


Please keep in mind that this method is only necessary if you do not have username and password.


OAuth2 using Bearer Authentication

If a data point needs to make calls to an API that has enable OAuth 2.0 Bearer authentication, you will need also an access token. To do so, set the "Additional HTTP Headers" column to the following:

Authorization: Bearer <your authentication token>

For example: